AHMEDABAD: Gujarat has moved a step closer to a Uniform Civil Code, with a high-level committee led by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai submitting its final report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Following final recommendations to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar, marking a decisive step towards uniform personal laws in the state, Gujarat has formally received the blueprint for implementing a Uniform Civil Code.
The three-volume report, handed over in person, lays out a comprehensive legal framework aimed at harmonising personal laws across religions and communities, covering critical civil domains such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.
At its core, the draft underscores constitutional principles of equality, with a sharp focus on safeguarding women’s rights while balancing Gujarat’s socio-cultural diversity.
The committee’s approach, officials indicated, is rooted in extensive groundwork combining district-level consultations, stakeholder interactions, and comparative legal analysis, thereby attempting to align legal uniformity with ground realities.
This layered exercise, officials stressed, was designed to ensure that any proposed shift does not disrupt social equilibrium while advancing legal consistency.
Reacting to the submission, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel articulated the government’s position, stating: “The committee constituted under the leadership of Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai has submitted a detailed and final report on the Uniform Civil Code after extensive study and statewide public consultations. The recommendations propose a common legal framework governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption across all communities, with a clear emphasis on equal rights and protection of women, while also respecting Gujarat’s geographical and cultural diversity.” CM said on the X platform.
The report’s submission gains further legal weight considering the committee’s composition, bringing together administrative, academic, and legal expertise, including retired bureaucrat C L Meena, senior advocate R C Kodekar, academician Dr Dakshesh Thakar, and social activist Geeta Shroff, with advisory support from former Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh.
Notably, the committee was constituted on February 4, 2025, with a defined mandate to examine the feasibility and contours of a state-level Uniform Civil Code.
With the report now in the government’s hands, the process transitions from consultation to legislation.
Sources within administrative circles indicate that the state government is already evaluating the recommendations, with strong indications that a draft Bill or proposal could be introduced in the Gujarat Assembly as early as the last week of March.
If enacted, the law would standardise civil rights and obligations across communities, potentially placing Gujarat alongside early adopters like Uttarakhand in operationalising the Uniform Civil Code.
As the State moves towards a possible legislative rollout, the report is expected to trigger both legal scrutiny and political debate, testing the balance between uniformity and diversity in one of India’s most complex areas of personal law.